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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23339275">Between the Lines</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/uchihanon/pseuds/uchihanon'>uchihanon</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>College AU, and everyone knows but her, sasuke pines for sakura</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 07:48:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,754</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23339275</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/uchihanon/pseuds/uchihanon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sakura never pushed for anything more than platonic affection. It was easy with her. There was no pressure. She never crossed any lines. Except sometimes, he wished she did.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Sasuke</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>77</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She lived in his residence hall, four doors down with a blonde harpy who flirted with him in the elevator during move-in day and he thought they had something in common for his own blonde, loud-mouthed roommate was talking her up by the time Sasuke stepped out into the hallway. Somehow, Naruto had managed to drag him into their affairs and by the time he finished carrying up one of <em> her </em>boxes, they had exchanged names and schedules. </p><p>Sakura Haruno had chemistry with him. </p><p>She saved him a seat every Monday, Tuesday, and Friday when he’d have to race across campus from his Intro to Comp Sci class in the engineering department all the way to their lecture hall for chemistry in the Art and Sciences building. </p><p>“Seven minutes,” Sakura said, twirling her pen in between her fingers as he dropped his bookbag in the seat next to hers. “What? Did you steal some kid’s Lime scooter?”</p><p>Sasuke shrugged. “He was asking for it.”</p><p>His jest gave it’s desired effect as she giggled then punched him lightly in the arm when he settled into his seat and opened his laptop. </p><p>“My comp sci class let out early,” he explained. “Did you make an outline for this week’s notes?”</p><p>“Do you even have to ask?”</p><p>“Normally you would have emailed it to me on Sunday,” Sasuke pointed out. Sakura was very meticulous about her note taking process and she wasn’t above sharing her resources with him. Besides, he needed more help than she did. She scored perfectly on their first <em> and </em> second exam. </p><p>“Well maybe I was garnering for a favor this time,” Sakura said. “I save you a seat every lecture and I share all my notes. Don’t you think I should get something in return?”</p><p>He turned his head only to see that she was already looking at him, her head tilted slightly as if inviting him to ask what she had in mind. She was effortlessly alluring, a charm she probably had no idea she possessed and it only added more to her appeal. Sasuke could smell the perfume she wore, subtle and sweet and devastatingly effective on making him lose his wits. </p><p>He turned his head back to focus on their professor who was setting up the powerpoint in front of the large lecture hall. “If it’s reasonable,” he said mildly, feigning disinterest when his mind thought otherwise. “I didn’t think you were the type to bribe, Haruno.”</p><p>Even without looking at her, he knew she was smiling. That cat-ate-the-canary smile she saved for when she was plotting. He knew it from the nights spent at the library where she strategized how to effectively study for her exams and dissected practice problems like a puzzle done for fun. </p><p>It confused him.</p><p><em> She </em> confused him.</p><p>“There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Uchiha.”</p><p><em> But I’m willing to find out</em>, Sasuke thought. <em>Everything, everything, everything.</em></p><p>“I’ll tell you after class,” she said once Orochimaru-sensei was finally able to get the powerpoint working with some help from one of the TAs named Kabuto. Sasuke shifted in his seat to get comfortable.</p><p>For once, the lecture seemed longer than fifty minutes.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>Sasuke could have easily opted to take another chemistry class that didn’t run so closely with his comp sci class if it wasn’t for the warm body sitting across from him. Sakura had pretty much sold the time slot for him and it was too late to switch classes now that the registration period was over.</p><p>In retrospect, it wasn’t so bad. If they walked to the dining hall directly after lecture and somehow made it a routine to have lunch together, didn’t that make up for having to get up three times a week to haul ass across campus? And if after they ate, they decided to head to the library to share a table until it was too dark for her to walk back to the dorms by herself, didn’t that make up for all the teasing Naruto gave when he caught him walking her to her door late at night?</p><p>Sasuke had never felt this way about anyone. Even having gone to an all-boys high school, girls were constantly visiting from neighboring schools in hopes of catching a glimpse of him by the gate. Naruto would berate him for not giving any of them a chance, even the ones who went out of their way to bake goodies or give presents, but Sasuke didn’t care. They all wanted something from him and he wasn’t the type to give himself away so easily. </p><p>He had always been like that and <em> they </em> had always been like that which was why Sakura confused him. </p><p>Sakura gave and gave and expected nothing in return. She stayed up to tutor him on concepts he struggled with, she took notes for him when he missed class, she packed him food if he decided to skip meals to nap in his dorm, she kept him informed about extra credit opportunities and upcoming events that aligned with his major, she even dragged him out when he was in particularly brooding mood, and she was <em> just there </em>. There in a way that Itachi and Naruto had always been. There in a way that Itachi and Naruto have never been.</p><p>Sakura never pushed for anything more than platonic affection. It was easy with her. There was no pressure. She never crossed any lines.</p><p>Except sometimes - after he walked her back to her dorm and retired to his own room, he would think about a particular joke she said, the way she laughed and smiled, her vivid green eyes pensive as she typed something, the way they crinkled when they bantered about topics that ranged from who caused the bathroom to flood in their hall to who would win college basketball this year, how heated she’d get while defending her answers on a particular assignment, the soft tips of her fingers as they brushed against his when they walked too closely together, her lips as they bid him goodnight, tinted red from her lip balm - he wished she did. </p><p>Or that he had the courage to do so. </p><p>“I’m going on a date,” she said casually, reaching over to grab some salt for her fries. </p><p>Sasuke nearly choked on his drink. He lowered his glass carefully before shooting her a look. “Since when do you date?”</p><p>“Since Ino decided to sign me up for Tinder behind my back,” Sakura grumbled. “She won’t let me off unless I go on at least one date so I said yes.”</p><p><em> For fuck’s sake </em>, Sasuke thought. He was going to kill that harpy. “When?”</p><p>“Tomorrow night.”</p><p>This time, Sasuke did choke on his drink and Sakura passed him some napkins with a look of concern. “Don’t drink so fast.”</p><p>“Don’t go on that date,” he countered. </p><p>Shit.</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>Sasuke cursed himself for saying that. Why? Why else? Because he’d be stupid to send her off to some guy knowing he had feelings for her. Because he was eating himself up for not confessing, even now, that he thought about her constantly and it was driving him insane. Because he was still wrestling with the idea that maybe, just maybe—</p><p><em> I’m in love with you. </em> </p><p>“Don’t go just because somebody is forcing you to,” he said stiffly. “Go because you want to.”</p><p>Sakura pursed her lips, staring at him as if she could read his mind and reveal all his secrets. And maybe she could. He wouldn’t put it past her. She always seemed to know if something was up. Although perhaps she also knew that that alone scared him so she fell back. Never crossed a line. </p><p>“I’ve never been on a date before,” she said lightly. “I was against it at first, but now I think it’d be kind of fun.”</p><p>Sasuke kept his tongue to his cheek. The grip on his drink was starting to hurt, but he didn’t know what he would do if he let go.</p><p>“Anyway, if it turns out to be terrible, I was thinking you could come and bail me out.” She looked at him expectantly and it clicked in his head that this was the favor she was asking him. “But only if you’re not busy… if that’s okay with you.”</p><p>He wasn’t busy, but he wasn’t okay with it either. No sane person would be. But when she looked at him like that, hopeful and endearing, how could he refuse? The words slipped from his mouth before he could take them back.</p><p>“If that’s what you want.”</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>“Hey teme, you’ve been staring at your phone for the past hour now.” </p><p>Naruto threw another dart at the door from his desk chair. It missed the center by a good inch and he threw his hands up before swiveling to face Sasuke again. </p><p>“It’s not going to ring just because you’re glaring at it from your bed.”</p><p>“Shut up, dobe,” Sasuke snapped, refusing to remove his gaze from the phone charging on the nightstand beside him.</p><p>It was eight o’clock and Sakura was set to meet her date an hour ago. She said she would call as soon as things started to get crummy or awkward, but judging from the amount of time that lapsed, neither of those things were happening. Which meant she was enjoying her date. Which meant she would probably agree to more dates. Which meant she would eventually get a boyfriend. Which meant he would miss the chance to shoot his shot. </p><p>“Dude, you are so whipped.”</p><p>Sasuke threw a pillow at his head.</p><p>“Hey! It’s your fault for not saying anything, you bast—“</p><p>“Shh,” Sasuke shot up from his bed. In a haste, he went for his phone just as their dorm room started to fill with sounds of his blatant ringtone. He narrowed his eyes upon checking the caller ID. “What the hell does she want?”</p><p>He put the phone to his ear and was greeted by a muffled voice. “Hello?” There was some noise in the background and Sasuke had trouble hearing her until she managed to step away from the commotion. “Hello? Sasuke-kun? Can you hear me now?”</p><p>“Yamanaka,” he scrunched his nose. “Are you drunk?”</p><p>“Huh?” Ino said. Then she laughed. “No! Well, tipsy, but don’t worry I pre-gamed at Kiba’s. I’m at the club.”</p><p>Sasuke flicked his eyes toward the calendar beside his desk. It was Thursday which could only mean it was college night. Typical. </p><p>“Is that Ino?” Naruto perked up from his seat. “Let me talk to her! I can’t believe she went out tonight without inviting me!”</p><p>“You have an exam tomorrow,” Sasuke reminded him with a glare. “What do you want, Yamanaka? I’m busy.”</p><p>“No, you’re not. You’re just waiting for a call from Sakura,” Ino returned bluntly. </p><p>Sasuke rolled his eyes. “Yeah, thanks for that by the way.”</p><p>“Oh, don’t be such a spoiled sport. Maybe if you didn’t move at a snail’s pace, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.” </p><p>“She’s got a point,” Naruto piped in. Sasuke shot him another glare that made him sigh and return to his textbook.</p><p>Feeling exasperated, he ran a hand through his hair. “Just leave it alone.” </p><p>“Whatever. I just wanted to give you a heads up about the whole date situation.”</p><p>That piqued his interest enough. Stepping out his dorm so Naruto wouldn’t hear, he asked, “What do you know?”</p><p>Ino sighed from the other end of the line. “Well, for one, she’s not going to call. Listen, she didn’t want you to find out but…”</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>
  <em> tbc </em>
</p><p>
  <em> (unedited: 03.27.20 / 12:23 am) </em>
</p><p>
  <em> . </em>
</p><p><b>A/N: </b>Earlier this month, I wrote an amusement park AU where Sakura was the one pining for Sasuke so I decided to return the favor. Enjoy!</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> “Listen, she didn’t want you to find out, but…” </em>
</p>
<p>Sasuke was furious. His temper nearly caused him to dent the car beside him as he whipped his car to park, fuming over what Ino had told him over the phone earlier. He couldn’t believe she didn’t tell him. He couldn’t believe that somebody had <em> the nerve </em> to do this to her. He couldn’t believe that—</p>
<p>Sitting on a bench in front of a large fountain was the source of his frustration. Many people milled around the popular shopping center but Sasuke found her easily enough. The color of her hair shined like a target for his emotions but when his eyes landed on her, he felt his anger slowly start to dissipate.</p>
<p>Looking more dolled up than he had ever seen her, Sasuke watched as she swung her legs in a defeated manner. Her head was casted down as her shoes scraped against the pavement like a kid who had just been sent to time out during recess. </p>
<p>
  <em> “—she got stood up.” </em>
</p>
<p>Taking a breath to calm to his nerves, he willed himself to approach her. Somehow, his chest seemed to grow heavier the closer he came like a weight being pressed achingly close to his heart.</p>
<p>
  <em> Why do I only feel these things for you? </em>
</p>
<p>Her bright green eyes looked glazed as she looked up at him. “What are you doing here?”</p>
<p>“Your best friend has a big mouth,” Sasuke said softly. He moved to sit beside her so he wouldn’t have to look at her teary expression. </p>
<p>“Don’t lie,” Sakura sniffed beside him. “You’re as nosy as her.”</p>
<p>“It means she cares,” Sasuke pointed out. <em> I care </em>. “Why didn’t you just call me?” </p>
<p>“It-It’s embarrassing.” Sakura buried her face in her hands. “To get all excited over nothing. How would you feel if you were in my position?”</p>
<p>“You barely even knew him.”</p>
<p>“<em>Still, </em> ” Sakura protested. “He stopped answering my calls as soon as my Uber dropped me off. I thought he was just running late, but then he never texted me back. I’ve been waiting for him for over an <em> hour </em> now. I’m so naive.”</p>
<p>Sasuke scoffed. “Bastard.”</p>
<p>“You were supposed to be my security measure, Sasuke.” She dropped her hands to fist the hem of her pretty red dress. “You didn’t have to come.”</p>
<p>Sasuke merely stuffed a hand in his pocket then stood up. She looked up at him again as he silently proffered his other hand. “Come on,” he urged. “Let’s go.”</p>
<p>Her eyes grew wide at his gesture. “What are you doing?”</p>
<p>“Bailing you out,” he said. “You said so yourself, it was a terrible date.”</p>
<p>“If you could even call it that,” Sakura sighed and shook her head. She took his hand and let him pull her up. “What a shitty night.”</p>
<p>“I wouldn’t be so sure yet.”</p>
<p>“Why?”</p>
<p>Sasuke smirked. “The night is still young, Haruno.”</p>
<p>.</p>
<p>.</p>
<p>.</p>
<p>After making a late night grab at <em> Wendy’s </em> and parking in one of the most secluded yet beautiful parts of the city, Sakura got the hint. Sasuke rolled down the windows of his car before cutting off the ignition. Outside his windshield, Konoha’s active nightlife illuminated their faces as the city was brought into a distant view on the bluff they were parked on.</p>
<p>“You’re kind of a romantic, you know that,” Sakura teased as she unbuckled her seatbelt and passed Sasuke his four-for-four meal. “Why Wendy’s?”</p>
<p>“I thought McDonald’s would’ve been too cliché.”</p>
<p>“Ah,” Sakura agreed. “I think I missed the part where you asked me out though.”</p>
<p>Sasuke unwrapped his burger. “I’m giving you what you wanted, isn’t that enough?”</p>
<p>“Maybe, but there’s a proper sequence to all of this.”</p>
<p>Sasuke raised a brow. “And I suppose swiping right is the first step?”</p>
<p>Sakura laughed. “Bold of you to assume we’d match.” She paused. “Why don’t you make a Tinder? I bet you’d match with a lot of girls.”</p>
<p>“It’d be a waste of time,” Sasuke said after swallowing a bite. How could she ask something like that so casually?</p>
<p>“How so?”</p>
<p>
  <em> Because I only want you, you annoying girl. </em>
</p>
<p>“I want to focus on school,” Sasuke said instead. It wasn’t a complete lie. If Itachi was the heir to their father’s company, Sasuke wanted to prove that he could make a life for himself. One that wasn’t dictated my family or birthright. </p>
<p>“I see,” she said in an uncharacteristically low manner. Sasuke watched her bite her lip. For a second, she seemed conflicted over saying something but before he could ask, she pushed it away with a smile. “Well, thank you for this. I can’t imagine what people would say if they found out that <em> the </em> Sasuke Uchiha took me out on a nice date.”</p>
<p>“Just nice?” Sasuke asked.</p>
<p>“Hmm,” Sakura chewed on a fry. “Let’s see. Nice view, comfortable setting, top-tier meal—from a broke college kid’s standpoint, of course—and adequate conversation. According to Ino, the only thing missing is something to set the mood and something for us to do.”</p>
<p>“You’re rushing bases, Haruno,” Sasuke said mockingly. “Unless you want to—“</p>
<p>“Not that, you pervert,” Sakura laughed and pushed him lightly on the shoulder. He couldn’t tell if her cheeks were flushed due to the low lighting, but he could feel the back of his own neck heating up. </p>
<p>He whipped out his phone and opened Spotify before setting it on the dashboard. “Better?”</p>
<p>Sakura smiled. “I made this playlist.”</p>
<p>“You don’t say.”</p>
<p>She wiped her fingers on a napkin before cleaning up the rest of her meal and throwing it in the trash bag Sasuke had in his car. He did the same and then looked up when he heard her unlocking his door. “What are you doing?”</p>
<p>“Finding us something to do,” she grinned innocently. Sasuke grabbed his phone then unzipped his jacket before following her out, throwing it over her head as she stopped near the railing that kept people from edging closer.</p>
<p>“Put that on,” he ordered. “It’s cold.”</p>
<p>“<em>Pushy. </em>”</p>
<p>The wind ruffled the skirt of her dress as she started to slip her arms inside the sleeves of his jacket and it was only then that Sasuke noticed just how short it was. The red material brushed mid-thigh, threatening to go higher with the slightest breeze. <em> It’s probably Ino’s </em> , he thought. <em> Fuck, maybe I am a pervert. </em></p>
<p>Sasuke turned around and leaned against the railing to put his thoughts back in order. This girl was seriously going to be the death of him if he wasn’t careful. </p>
<p>“Can I see your phone?”</p>
<p>He looked at her questionably before passing it over. Sakura was trustworthy enough to know his passcode just as he knew hers. It was a testament to how close they were now. He recognized the song she picked as soon as it started playing. </p>
<p>Sakura shrugged when he raised a brow at her selection. “It’s sad boi hours.”</p>
<p>
  <em> I don’t want a friend… I want my life in two… </em>
</p>
<p>“This is better when you’re high.” He pocketed his phone back.</p>
<p>“True.” She smiled. “But I could think of a few other things that could make it better.”</p>
<p>“Like?”</p>
<p>“Like this.”</p>
<p>The words didn’t register fast enough for Sasuke for it seemed the air left his lungs the moment she stepped in front of him and took his hands to steady them on her waist. It was stupid to think that time slowed down as she reached up to place her own hands on his shoulders, but her face was so close to his, he felt his breaths come in achingly slow as his heart played a rhythm he couldn’t keep up with.</p>
<p>“Too weird?”</p>
<p>Sasuke didn’t trust his voice so he was thankful that he found it in himself to shake his head. She smiled brightly then swayed against the calming music.</p>
<p>
  <em> … When I’m around slow dancing in the dark… Don’t follow me, you’ll end up in my arms… </em>
</p>
<p>Sakura threw her head back and laughed. “This is so cliché!”</p>
<p>Sasuke was eerily quiet for all he could do was watch her. He didn’t think it was possible to fall in love with her more.</p>
<p>.</p>
<p>.</p>
<p>.</p>
<p>Tenten and Kiba flanked both sides of the drunk blonde who was too intoxicated to walk on her own. It was two o’clock in the morning and Tenten was the only one out of the three who had classes tomorrow, but <em> somebody </em> had to be DD. Thankfully, Kiba was still sober enough to help their friend back to her dorm, but Tenten had the suspicion that Kiba was on the verge of knocking out any minute now.</p>
<p>She prayed that they would at least get to Ino’s door before then. </p>
<p>Reaching Ino’s floor, she quietly gestured for Kiba to step out of the elevator with her, carefully adjusting one of Ino’s arm on her shoulder. They had to be quiet in case they woke up the RA who would no doubt cause a scene.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, Tenten almost did the exact opposite when she turned the corner of the hall, nearly gasping when she saw the couple standing outside of Ino’s door.</p>
<p>“What the fu—“</p>
<p>Tenten quickly stepped back then clamped a hand over Kiba’s mouth. She narrowed her eyes then pursed her lips as she drew a line over her mouth to wordlessly silence him. Once it was clear Kiba understood the message, they both peeked over the corner again. </p>
<p>Outside of Ino’s dorm room was Sakura who was wearing an unusually large jacket. Sasuke stood in front of her with his hands stuffed in his pockets, saying something they were too far to hear. Sakura smiled, then to both of their surprise, she raised herself on her tippy toes and pecked him softly on the cheek. </p>
<p>Tenten pulled Kiba back just as Sakura’s door clicked close, leaving Sasuke standing outside with a hand touching his cheek.</p>
<p><em> Oh my god </em> , Tenten shared a look with Kiba who suddenly looked wide awake, <em> Sasuke’s dating Sakura! </em></p>
<p>.</p>
<p>.</p>
<p>.</p>
<p>
  <em> tbc </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> (unedited: 03.30.20 / 1:07 am) </em>
</p>
<p>.</p>
<p><b>A/N:</b> Thank you for all the kudos and comments! You guys are amazing! Many of you were stunned by that cliffhanger in the last chapter and I have to admit I was a bit confused until I realized I <em> already knew </em> what Ino was going to say next - I just didn’t have enough creative juice to complete it as the one-shot it was initially supposed to be at the time. But I guess it works out because this will continue to be a multi-chap fic you guys are interested. </p>
<p>The song mentioned in this fic is “Slow Dancing in the Dark” by Joji btw. Give it a <a href="https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DsVDiAoxdR8E&amp;t=OGY1MDI4ZmI0MDExYWZkZWQ0Y2I1MTRjODhhMGE1YjM2ZGI4ODRmNSxmd1NsMnM4Mw%3D%3D&amp;b=t%3AmeSBNOzJD8GoWxZcifFrkQ&amp;p=https%3A%2F%2Fharunoanon.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F613988694476619776%2Fbetween-the-lines-2-prev-listen-she&amp;m=1"> listen </a>.</p>
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